Thread about spiders (not for the arachnophobic!)

[farmerbarleymow]

A lovely picture of an orb-weaver spider.

From this site - Ben Krasnow: Photomicography (microphotography) with Lumix GH1

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Easter bunny spider.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

RIP the world's oldest known spider, who has died from a wasp sting aged 43.

World's oldest known spider dies at 43 after a quiet life underground

 

[blossie33]

Awww RIP

 

[farmerbarleymow]

This is interesting - a study on how ballooning spiders use the Earth's electrical field to fly. The hairs on their legs also react to the electrical field.

Research sheds light on mystery of how spiders 'take flight'

 

[Leafster]

Dancing spider!

 

[cybershot]

I seem to have more spider webs in my house now than I did in winter. All really thin things with long legs. Almost daddy long legs esque, but spiders!

 

[gentlegreen]

I seem to have more spider webs in my house now than I did in winter. All really thin things with long legs. Almost daddy long legs esque, but spiders!

They probably ate all the other spiders.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Another two species of peacock spiders - discovered late last year. Cute little things.

Maratus Unicup:

Maratus tortus:

 

[Epona]

I have another massive spider outside my kitchen window again this year, same place as the one a few years back that prompted me to start this thread.

It currently has its jaws embedded into some other insect and is sucking the lifeless corpse dry. The new day is dawning, and when she has fed she will sleep until dusk.

This is the happiest I have felt all year

 

[MrSki]

I have left the spiders get on with it this year. Stops getting so many bites when asleep.

Got a big one in the outside cupboard that always makes me jump when I get out or put back the re-cycling box. Should have learnt by now as it's been there since March!

 

[Leafster]

This popped up on my twitter feed.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

That's a very cute spider.

 

[Leafster]

That's a very cute spider.

If you look closely, it even has a smiley face on its abdomen

 

[StoneRoad]

Found this one a while ago ...


oaw - beauty par StoneRoad2013, on ipernity

 

[Calamity1971]

False widow spider infestations close four east London schools

 

[Leafster]

False widow spider infestations close four east London schools

I wonder, with stories like these, just what constitutes an "infestation". They make it sound like there must be thousands of them but I suspect it's not the case.

I found six of them in the cupboard under the sink in my old place. Would that be considered an infestation? I have to admit I relocated them but didn't cordon off the kitchen until I'd dealt with the unwanted guests.

 

[Calamity1971]

I wonder, with stories like these, just what constitutes an "infestation". They make it sound like there must be thousands of them but I suspect it's not the case.

I found six of them in the cupboard under the sink in my old place. Would that be considered an infestation? I have to admit I relocated them but didn't cordon off the kitchen until I'd dealt with the unwanted guests.

I thought that. Would be amazing to see thousand of em lining the walls.

 

[Leafster]

I thought that. Would be amazing to see thousand of em lining the walls.

A couple in my old road got into the local papers because they were being "plagued" and "overun" with them but I've just looked up the article and there's still no mention of any numbers. It even says they were having sleepless nights over it! I occasionally used to find them in the bedroom when I was cleaning, but not once did I think 'Oh god, I can't sleep in here tonight until I've checked every corner of the room for them!'

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I thought that. Would be amazing to see thousand of em lining the walls.

That would be brilliant - loads of lovely spiders.

 

[gentlegreen]

gawd 'elp us.
If I was a parent I'd be very pissed off.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

gawd 'elp us.
If I was a parent I'd be very pissed off.

I'm very sad that I've not seen many spiders this year - where have they all gone?

 

[Calamity1971]

I'm very sad that I've not seen many spiders this year - where have they all gone?

My house. Some rather large ones as well.

 

[gentlegreen]

You need to supply them with food

PZ Myers is raising spiders at the moment - he feeds them on fruit flies.

 

[Mumbles274]

Our big mama false widow must have passed over the last year or so but we have another coming along in our kitchen window. There must be a breeding population as there is always webs and residents.



They do have competition for prey though!

 

[gentlegreen]

For the past week I have been setting up a new office with 15 tower PCs, so have been rolling around on the floor a lot.
I don't know whether these are actual spiders or just shed skins ...
That freshly-painted and carpeted office has to be the definition of a desert to a spider.

 

[Epona]

I wonder, with stories like these, just what constitutes an "infestation". They make it sound like there must be thousands of them but I suspect it's not the case.

I found six of them in the cupboard under the sink in my old place. Would that be considered an infestation? I have to admit I relocated them but didn't cordon off the kitchen until I'd dealt with the unwanted guests.

I wondered that too, I have loads in here - they apparently like to hide in messy flats - I take the precaution of not sticking my hand directly into a dark spider-web strewn corner without being a little careful, but I haven't considered declaring the place a health hazard Well at least not for that

 

[gentlegreen]

I went off to google whether I can expect to encounter dangerous wildlife in Brittany and came across this :-
They seem to have put up a photo of the wrong species ...



Une araignée venimeuse menace la Grande-Bretagne !

 

[sunnysidedown]

 

[gentlegreen]

Sadly, my phone was low on storage and I was low on motivation, but I caught this tryst yesterday evening - or was the little spider actually planning to eat the big one ? (are they even the same species ?)

EDIT:- I accidentally breached Brian Eno's copyright, so it may be down for a while while the sound is being erased...